A survey conducted between May 6 and 15 revealed a strong rise in consumer confidence. According to the survey of consumer attitudes, carried out by GfK NOP Social Research, confidence jumped to -21 from April’s two-year low of -31. May’s reading represents the biggest increase since May 1993 and surprised analysts who had expected a [...]
The OECD’s chief economist, Pier Carlo Padoan, has warned that the UK may be forced to ease its pace of spending cuts if economic growth remains sluggish. Mr Padoan of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said if growth worsens, the Government may need to reconsider its plans for cutting the deficit. In the [...]
The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has today said the Bank of England should lift interest rates to combat stubbornly high inflation. UK economic growth is being hampered by soaring inflation, which is having a major impact on consumer spending. As a result, the Organisation revised its growth forecasts for the UK, [...]
The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has revised its growth forecasts for the global economy. The US, which is the world’s largest economy, is expected to see growth this year of 2.6% – revised upwards from a previous estimate of 2.2%. It maintained its 2012 growth forecast at 3.1%. “Growth in the [...]
As expected, ash cloud has drifted over Scotland from Iceland’s Grimsvotn volcano, resulting in flight cancellations. The volcano, which erupted over the weekend, is the second in just over a year after the volcano located under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier about 100 miles east of the capital Reykjavik, led to flight cancellations last year. It forced [...]
Figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed a sharp fall in UK car production for the month of April, disrupted by supply shortages, resulting from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Japan’s three major carmakers (Toyota, Nissan and Honda) all have operations in the UK, with the latter halving its [...]
The latest survey from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed a fall in UK consumer confidence for the month of April. The building society’s consumer confidence index dipped to 43 last month, from March’s upwardly revised figure of 45. The index remains just 4 points above February’s all-time low and is way below the index [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment fell further in the three months to March. The ONS said unemployment fell by 36,000 in the three month period to 2.46 million. The latest figures means the unemployment rate has fallen to 7.7% from 7.8% in February. In the meantime, the number of [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) surged to an annual rate of 4.5% in April – a level not seen since October 2008 and higher than forecasts of a rise to 4.2%. The surprise surge in inflation comes after the rate dropped to 4% in March and was attributed [...]
According to the Bank of England, inflation could reach 5% later this year, driven higher by rising energy costs. Energy costs are rising due to the surge in crude oil on the back of the ongoing political unrest in North Africa and the Middle East. In its latest quarterly inflation report, the Bank said upward [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the UK economy grew by just 0.5% in the January to March period. However, the figure was in line with expectations and follows the shock contraction of 0.5% in the final three months of 2010 – which was attributed to bad weather. The poor first quarter [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment fell in the three months to February. The ONS said unemployment fell by 17,000 in the three month period to 2.48 million. The latest figures means the unemployment rate has fallen to 7.8% from 8% in January. In the meantime, the number of Britons [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the UK’s trade deficit narrowed in February. According to the ONS, the global goods trade gap narrowed to £6.8 billion in the month from £7.8 billion in January. Analysts had expected a widening in the deficit to £8.1 million. Stripping out oil and erratic items, the [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) fell to an annual rate of 4% in March, from February’s 28-month high of 4.4%. The fall was attributed to food prices, which fell 1.4%. While it was the first time in eight months inflation had slowed, it still remains double the target [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is scheduled to announce the UK inflation rate for March tomorrow morning, with analysts expecting the annual rate to hold steady at the 28-month high of 4.4%. With inflation more than double the 2% target, many continue to speculate whether interest rates will be lifted next month. Last week, [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed UK producer output (factory gate) prices increased 0.9% on a monthly basis in March, taking the annual rate to 5.4% – the highest since October 2008 and the sixth monthly gain. Analysts had expected a fall to 5.1% and the news lifted the value of sterling briefly. [...]
It has been announced that the UK minimum wage will rise by 15p (2.5%) to £6.08 an hour from October 1, 2011 and is set to benefit almost 900,000 people. The 15p an hour rise applies to workers aged 21 and over. Meanwhile, the rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will increase by 6p to £4.98, [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), has today suggested the UK economy recovered in the first quarter of the year after bad weather conditions led to a shock contraction in the final quarter of last year. The economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period after the [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period – slightly better than the second estimate of 0.6% but unchanged from the first estimate. Economists had expected the figures to remain unchanged. Today’s estimate is the third and final reading and the GDP [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will tomorrow publish its final reading of gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2010. In January, the ONS revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period. Last month, the figure was revised down further to 0.6% with bad weather being attributed [...]
Phone fraudsters stealing bank card pins
Fraudsters using a phone scam to trick bank card holders into revealing their pin numbers stole £750,000 in the first four months of this year. This is the same amount stolen through this scam in the whole of last year. The fraudster telephones a bank customer, often someone elderly or vulnerable, telling them that their [...]
FSA rules out ban on interest-only mortgages
Speculation that the Financial Services Authority would ban interest-only mortgages as part of its Mortgage Market Review has proved to be unfounded. However, lenders will be required to monitor the performance of the investment product taken out by the customer to repay the mortgage at the end of its term. Investments are performing poorly because [...]
Bank of England may end free in-credit banking
A director of the Bank of England has warned that official intervention could be considered to end the ‘dangerous myth of free in-credit banking’. Andrew Bailey has already spoken out against free banking in relation to the mis-selling of financial products. In a speech made available to media, he reiterated his concern, saying that it [...]
Bank of England votes against more economic stimulus
The Bank of England voted against a further round of quantitative easing, at its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Just one member, David Miles, voted for further asset purchase to encourage growth in the UK economy, while the other eight members voted to keep the Bank’s quantitative easing programme steady at £325bn. The minutes [...]
Catalogue debt growing says helpline
Calls from people concerned about their debts with mail order catalogues accounted for more than 12 per cent of all calls received by National Debtline last year, compared with just 8 per cent in 2007. More people were concerned about catalogue debt than about payday loans, mortgage or rent, according to the Money Advice Trust [...]
Homeserve faces mis-selling investigation
HomeServe, which provides emergency insurance cover and domestic repairs to households in the UK, is to be investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Issues over the possible mis-selling of household emergency policies were uncovered last October during an internal review at the Walsall-based company. Homeserve’s call centre staff were found to be selling ‘Complete [...]
OFT warns Wonga over debt collection methods
Payday loan company Wonga used aggressive and misleading methods to collect debts from customers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. Wonga sent letter and emails to certain customers suggesting they had committed fraud and threatening to report them to the police if they did not act in the way Wonga suggested. The company [...]
NS&I re-launches investment account
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has re-launched its Investment Account at a higher interest rate than it previously offered. The account now offers 0.75 per cent before tax, compared with between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent previously, depending on the account balance. Deposits and withdrawals on the account can no longer be made at Post [...]
Rightmove reports property downsizing trend
Two in five property owners planning to sell in the next year are planning to ‘trade down’, compared with one in four who plan to ‘trade up’. A survey by property website Rightmove found that moving to a smaller home is the main reason for moving in nine out of the ten regions in the [...]
More people failing to save for retirement
The proportion of people with no pension savings has grown from 20 per cent to 22 per cent over the past year, according to Scottish Widows’ latest survey. The pension provider surveyed 5,200 adults in the UK, aged 30 or over, and earning at least £10,000 a year, for its annual review of pensions. Ian [...]
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